OFALA FESTIVAL: OBI OF ONITSHA DOFFS HAT FOR GLO

The paramount ruler of Onitsha in Anambra State, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, has attributed the immense success of the Ofala Festival in recent years to the cooperation and support given to the festival by Nigeria’s national telecoms giant, Globacom.

Igwe Achebe made the remarks in Onitsha recently at the 2015 Ofala Festival celebrations held at Ime Obi, Onitsha, where he expressed gratitude to Globacom for its fastidious faith in Nigerian culture and for putting structures in place to make the festival memorable.

He gave the commendation while receiving the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, the former President of Ghana, Mr. John kuffor, represented by the country’s former Minister of Health, Road and Transport, Rt. Hon. Dr. Richard Anane, former Nigerian Minister of Aviation and serving senator, Stella Oduah and other dignitaries, who were in the city to celebrate this year’s Ofala celebrations with the Monarch .

Speaking on sundry issues ranging from local to international politics and world economy, Igwe Achebe singled out Globacom for praise for adding glamour to the festival since 2011 when it took over the sponsorship adding, “It is now time to express gratitude, firstly to our long standing partner, Globacom Limited. The success of Ofala Onitsha over the past several years has depended materially on the cooperation and support we have received from Globacom”.

The monarch added that Globacom had helped to bring out the huge tourism potentials of the festival and project not only the Ndigbo race but the entire Black Africa.

The Chairman of Globacom, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr in his Goodwill message to the 2015 festival, disclosed that the company supported the festival because of its capacity to boost Nigeria’s tourism industry as well as the need to preserve the country’s traditional values and systems.

Globacom took over the sponsorship of the festival in 2011 for an initial period of three years and signed a new contract in 2014 to extend the sponsorship by another three years.